Landry, S. H., Smith, K. E., Swank, P. R., & Guttentag, C. L. (2008). Responsive parenting: The optimal timing of an intervention across early childhood. Developmental Psychology, 44(5), 1335–1353. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013030

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 166

Population:

• Age — Children: 24-28 months (2.0-2.33 years), Parents: 28-31 years
• Race/Ethnicity — Children: Not specified, Parents: 33.75% African Americans, 39.25% Hispanic, 24.5% Caucasian, and 2.5% Other
• Gender — Children: 50% Female, Parents:100% Female
• Status — Participants were from 3 hospitals serving lower income background populations.

Location/Institution: Greater Houston and Galveston, Texas

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
Note: This study uses a subset of the sample from Smith, Landry, & Swank (2005) [see Play and Learning Strategies – Infant Program (PALS I) CEBC entry]. This study examined the optimal timing (infancy, toddler–preschool, or both) for facilitating responsive parenting and the intervention effects on maternal behaviors and child social and communication skills for children who vary in biological risk. Families from the PALS I phase (who received the PALS I intervention during infancy) were rerandomized into either the Play and Learning Strategies – Toddler/Preschool Program (PALS II) or a Developmental Assessment Sessions condition, resulting in 4 groups (PALS I/PALS II, PALS I/DAS II, DAS I/PALS II, DAS I/DAS II). Measures utilized include the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Third Edition (PPVT-III) and the Preschool Language Scale–3rd Edition. Results indicate that facilitation of maternal warmth occurred best with the PALS I intervention, while cognitive responsive behaviors were best supported with the PALS II intervention. Behaviors that required responsiveness to the child's changing signals (contingent responsiveness, redirecting) required the intervention across both the early and later periods. Limitations include generalizability to parents from a broader economic range.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 3 months.

Landry, S. H., Smith, K. E., Swank, P. R., Zucker, T., Crawford, A. D., & Solari, E. F. (2012). The effects of a responsive parenting intervention on parent–child interactions during shared book reading. Developmental Psychology, 48(4), 969–986. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026400

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 166

Population:

• Age — Children: 24- 28 months (2.0 to 2.33 years), Parents: 28-31 years
• Race/Ethnicity — Children: Not specified, Parents: 33.75% African Americans, 39.25% Hispanic, 24.5% Caucasian, and 2.5% Other
• Gender — Children: 50% Female, Parents: 100% Female
• Status — Participants were from 3 hospitals serving lower income background populations.

Location/Institution: Greater Houston and Galveston, Texas

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
Note: This study uses a subset of the sample from Smith, Landry, & Swank (2005) [see Play and Learning Strategies - Infant Program (PALS I) CEBC entry].This study examined mother-child shared book reading behaviors before and after participation in a random-assignment responsive parenting intervention called Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) that occurred during infancy [now called Play and Learning Strategies - Infant Program (PALS I)], the toddler-preschool [now called Play and Learning Strategies - Toddler/Preschool Program (PALS II)] period, or both, as compared with a developmental assessment (DAS) intervention (DAS I and/or II). Mother-child pairs who had received either PALS I or DAS I were randomly assigned to the PALS II or DAS II condition. Measures included observational measures of maternal responsiveness and use of a broad range of language scaffolding behaviors. Results indicate all of the observed maternal behaviors were supported by PALS to show significantly stronger gains than for mothers participating in the attention control condition (DAS) across both developmental periods. However, many of the verbal scaffolding behaviors required both PALS I and PALS II to show greater gains. Also, as predicted, PALS facilitated shared reading practices for mothers of children born term as well as those born with very low birth weight (VLBW), and when there was a difference, it favored the mothers of children born VLBW. The children of mothers participating in PALS showed greater gains in their verbal responses and verbal initiative related to the book and interaction with their mothers in sharing interest in the book. Limitations include the lack of information concerning whether the effects sustain to later developmental periods, generalizability to other populations, and use of a very short session of book reading and small sample of books from which to choose.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 3 months.

Landry, S. H., Zucker, T. A., Williams, J. M., Merz, E. C., Guttentag, C. L., & Taylor, H. B. (2017). Improving school readiness of high-risk preschoolers: Combining high quality instructional strategies with responsive training for teachers and parents. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 40, 38–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2016.12.001

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 623

Population:

• Age — Teachers: Not specified, Parents: Not specified, Children: Mean=4.38 years
• Race/Ethnicity — Teachers: 56.6% African American, 27.6% Latino, 11.8% Caucasian, and 2.6% Asian; Parents: 67.8% Latino, 25.8% African American, 2.6% Caucasian, and .7% Asian; Children: 69.5% Latino, 29.1% African American, and 1.2% Caucasian
• Gender — Teachers: 94.7% Female, Parents: 98.4% Female, Children: 48.6% Female
• Status — Preschoolers from socioeconomically disadvantaged families.

Location/Institution: Head Start centers in the Houston and Austin metro areas

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the combination of two, one in Head Start classrooms (The Early Education Model, TEEM) and one in the home (Play and Learning Strategies (PALS)) resulted in enhanced effects on at-risk 3- to 5-year-old children's school readiness skills when compared to either of these interventions alone. The study was conducted in 77 classrooms with teachers randomized to either the TEEM or No TEEM (i.e., control or business as usual, n=38) conditions. Six to eight children in each classroom were randomly assigned to either have their parents receive PALS or to a No PALS condition, resulting in four conditions: TEEM/PALS, TEEM/No PALS, No TEEM/PALS, and No TEEM/No PALS. Measures utilized include progress monitoring measures from the CIRCLE Screening Assessment and Progress Monitoring System, including the following subtests: (a) 60-s letter naming fluency, (b) 60-s vocabulary fluency, (c) untimed, 43-item phonological awareness screen comprised of seven tasks, (d) untimed, 27-item mathematics tasks, (e) 10 observational ratings of book and print awareness, (f) 11 observational ratings of early writing skills, and (g) seven observational ratings of social skills. Results indicate greater gains in the TEEM teachers' language and literacy instructional practices and sensitivity compared to control teachers, but there were few significant findings for child cognitive outcomes. Parents receiving PALS, as compared to those without PALS, showed greater increases across play and book reading contexts in numerous responsive behaviors linked to the attachment and socio-cultural theories. Children whose parents received PALS versus those whose parents did not showed greater gains in direct measures of print knowledge and self-regulation and in social and language skills observed during interactions with their parent. Interactive effects of TEEM plus PALS were seen for increased engagement in shared book reading but not for other cognitive or social outcomes. Limitations include a high attrition rate of 30%, lack of follow-up, and a lack of explicit attention to fostering an enhanced home-school connection as part of the intervention.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.